Description
This easy one-pan creamy garlic chicken gnocchi is a comforting weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and a silky garlic cream sauce. Ready in about 30 minutes, it’s a crowd-pleaser that’s both quick and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (or fresh basil, oregano, thyme)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- 1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi (shelf-stable or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for extra richness)
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add chicken pieces in a single layer and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the same pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in heavy cream and Italian herbs. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in gnocchi (no need to pre-boil if shelf-stable). Cover and simmer on medium-low for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until gnocchi are soft.
- Return chicken (and any juices) to the pan. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over everything and stir gently. Taste and adjust salt or pepper. Swirl in butter if desired.
- Add baby spinach and stir until just wilted. Remove pan from heat.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra parmesan and black pepper. Add a splash of broth if sauce thickens too much.
Notes
For gluten-free, use certified gluten-free gnocchi. For dairy-free, swap cream for coconut cream and parmesan for nutritional yeast. Add extra veggies like mushrooms or zucchini for variety. If sauce thickens too much, add a splash of broth or cream. Leftovers keep well and flavors deepen overnight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/4 of recipe (1 generous bowl)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 32
Keywords: creamy garlic chicken gnocchi, one-pan dinner, easy weeknight meal, comfort food, skillet chicken gnocchi, quick chicken recipe